The True Purpose of Tisha B’Av: Why Repentance Matters More Than Suffering

The primary purpose of a fast day is not suffering, but repentance and personal transformation.

Maimonides explains that all the fast days established by the Jewish people commemorate tragic events that occurred throughout our history. However, their purpose is not merely to remember those events. Rather, they are intended to awaken our hearts and open the pathways of repentance. The fast serves as a reminder of our mistakes and the mistakes of previous generations — failures that ultimately brought about those tragedies.

By remembering these events and reflecting upon their causes, we are inspired to improve our ways and return to God.

According to the Rambam, the fast itself is not the ultimate goal, but is a means to an end. Its purpose is to shake us out of routine, awaken our conscience, and encourage us to examine our lives honestly.

Fasting Is the Preparation, Not the Destination

The Mishnah Berurah expands upon this idea and writes that every person is obligated to take these days to heart, examine his deeds, and repent.

He emphasizes that the essence of the day is not the fast itself. Rather, the fast is merely a preparation for repentance. Someone who spends the entire day fasting while engaging in idle pursuits has focused on the secondary aspect of the day while neglecting its primary purpose.

This does not mean that fasting is unimportant. On the contrary, fasting remains a positive commandment instituted by the prophets. Nevertheless, it is crucial to understand that hunger and discomfort are not the final objective.

A person can spend the entire day suffering physically and still miss the central message of Tisha B’Av. At the same time, someone whose fast is relatively easy can fulfill the day's true purpose if it leads him to meaningful self-reflection and positive change.

Why We Continue to Fast

The fast is intended to remind us that because of our sins, we remain in a state of destruction and exile.

We live in a world where the Divine Presence is concealed. We live in a reality filled with suffering, uncertainty, and spiritual distance. The Temple has not yet been rebuilt because humanity — and particularly the Jewish people, have not yet fully corrected what requires correction.

The purpose of fasting and mourning is to remind us of this reality.

It reminds us that exile is not merely a historical event that happened long ago. It is a condition that continues to affect our lives today. The awareness of that reality is intended to awaken our hearts and inspire us to return to God.

The Message of Shabbat Chazon

This same message appears in the Haftorah of Shabbat Chazon, the Sabbath preceding Tisha B’Av.

The prophet Isaiah calls upon the Jewish people to abandon their wrongdoing, correct injustice, and change their behavior. He urges them to purify themselves, remove evil from their actions, and cease doing wrong. Only then, he says, will Jerusalem once again become a city of righteousness and faithfulness.

Isaiah's message is clear: redemption does not begin with mourning alone. It begins with transformation.

The rebuilding of Jerusalem starts with rebuilding ourselves.

Repairing What Was Broken

The destruction of the Temple occurred because the spiritual condition of the nation required repair. Therefore, our response to the destruction must also focus on repair.

We are called upon to examine our behavior, improve our relationships with other people, strengthen our relationship with God, and elevate ourselves morally and spiritually. 

The more we refine ourselves, the closer we bring redemption. The more we repair what is broken within us, the more we contribute to repairing what is broken in the world around us.

The Ultimate Goal of Tisha B’Av

Tisha B’Av is not intended as a day of suffering for suffering's sake.

Its purpose is not simply to endure hunger, thirst, headaches, or discomfort. Those elements have value only when they help awaken the heart and direct us toward repentance.

The ultimate goal of the day is teshuvah.

It is a day for honest self-examination. A day to recognize where we have fallen short. A day to strengthen our relationship with God and with those around us. A day to commit ourselves to becoming better than we were before.

When we understand this, Tisha B’Av becomes much more than a day of mourning.

It becomes a day of growth, a day of return, and a day that transforms sorrow into hope and brings us one step closer to redemption.

That is the true purpose of the fast.